Aircraft ladder



Dec. '19, 1922.

K. STAHL.

AIRC RAFT LADDER.

FILED JUNE 21% I920.

INVENTOR= Patented Dec. 19, I922.

IJITE.

fATEhiT KARL STAHL, OF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERIJIANY, ASSIGNOE TO THE ZEIBIII LUIFT- SCHIFFBAU ZEPPELIN, GESELLSCHAFT MIT BQESCI-IRANKTIER FRIEDRICI'ISHAFEN, GERMANY.

narrows, or

AIRCRAFT LADDER.

Application filed June 28, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KARL S'rAi-in, a citizen of the German Republic, residing at Friedrichshafen, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Aircraft Ladder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention refers to ladders to be used in connection with aircraft and its particular object is afolding ladder offering the least possible resistance and taking up very little room.

In the larger flying machines as well as in airships the distance between the car or body and the supporting structure is such that a ladder is required for passing from one part to the other. The stationary ladders hitherto used for this purpose involve the disadvantage of considerably increasing the resistance to propulsion and of still further restricting the narrow space available in the cars. I

The folding ladder according to the pres ent invention not only takes up the least possible room, when not in use, but also offers no resistance to propulsion worth speaking of and is at the same time light and safe.

To attain this end the two ladder beams are shaped in such a manner as to form, when in a folded condition, a body confined by stream lines. As this is not a question of supporting strength, but merely one of outer form, I prefer constructing the beams so that those portions thereof which are averted from each other, merely consist of a hollow shell serving for guiding portion of the airship with a car suspended therefrom,

Figs. 2 and 3 are partial elevations, partly in section and drawn to a larger scale, of the ladder proper in open and folded condition, respectively,

Serial No. 392,612.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections corresponding to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively.

A is the car, B is the supporting structure of the airship and C C are two ladders, the forward one being unfolded for use, while the rear one is folded up and forms a rod of streamline-section. Preferably the stationary beam of each ladder is formed of one of the connecting members extending between the car and the structure, e. g., a stay. The outer folding shells of each ladder merely serve as air guides. The beams D D are traversed in their middle portions by a channel (1, whose breadth and depth is equal to the breadth and depth of the steps E which may also be hollow order to save weight.

The free ends of the forward ladder C are supported in the structure B and car A within slots of a well known kind. The steps E are pivoted to the channels (Z by means of bolts 6 in such a manner as to be enclosed within the said channels when the ladder is folded up.

Abutments (Z alternately provided above and below the steps on the beams D D serve to maintain the form of the channels and serve as stops for the steps when the ladder is being unfolded.

I claim:

1. In aircraft in combination, a hull and a car or gondola attached thereto, a strut connecting said hull and said car or gondola, a beam in parallel with said strut and a plurality of parallel links pivoted said strut and said beam, respectively, in such manner as to allow of the beam being applied against said strut or to be swung out so as to carry said links into horizontal position.

2. In aircraft in combination, a hull and a car or gondola attached thereto, a strut connecting said hull and said car or gondola, a beam in parallel with said strut, said strut and beam being grooved longitudinally and a plurality of parallel links pivoted to the grooved parts of said strut and said beam, respectively, in such manner, as to allow of said beam being applied against strut, said links being concealed within said grooves, or to be swung out so as to carry said links intohorizontal position.

3. In aircraft in combination, a hull and acar or gondola attached thereto, a strut beam being applied against said strut or to be swung out so as to carry said links into horizontal position. 10

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

KARL STAHL. 

